


Let's Be Happy

by chaenyoo



Series: ATEEZ: Soulmate AU [2]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternative title is: The Chois, Hyunjin and Bomin are soulmates, Jongho and San are brothers, M/M, Slight crack and cheesy fluff, Wooyoung tries to be subtle and he's good, jongho is whipped
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:29:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22173346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaenyoo/pseuds/chaenyoo
Summary: Talented, bright, friendly, witty and handsome—undeniably. That’s how Jongho describes Wooyoung, his ultimate crush. As his friend says, he’s whipped for the older boy. He wishes they're soulmates but he's having trouble finding out-- he's even having trouble introducing himself to begin with.
Relationships: Choi Jongho and Choi San, Choi Jongho/Jung Wooyoung, Choi San/Kang Yeosang
Series: ATEEZ: Soulmate AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1591939
Comments: 12
Kudos: 148





	Let's Be Happy

A ray of sunlight shines prettily on the cream-painted ceiling. It looks rather golden, amusing Jongho— who was quietly staring. He woke up slightly ahead of his alarm. He didn’t want to get up yet so he savoured the moment of the new morning. He reaches his left hand out, pretending to feel the texture. As he reaches, his pajama’s long sleeve gets pulled down, exposing his soulmate mark. The words ‘Let’s be happy’ covered his pinky finger. What’s amazing about it was the fact that the words looked like they were hand-written, probably his soulmate’s writing style. It’s distinct— sloppy, seemed to have been written a second before urgently leaving. Jongho always wonders why his mark is in words, unlike the usual cute doodles. His older brother, San, earned a cute human-like drawing on his wrist. His soulmate most probably has words too which makes him think, what are the most significant words he has said or scribbled down to be given as a mark to someone?

Jongho immediately turns off his alarm as soon as the first two beats started ringing. He gets startled as his door gets swung open by none other than his oh-so-energetic brother. 

“You’ll come with me to school?” The older happily greets with a question. “Yeosang will meet us at the station though so that’s an us not a me.”

“I actually miss Yeosang so yeah, we’ll go together.” 

He was the happiest when he learned that San found his soulmate. The older has always been ecstatic about his mark ever since he got it when he was in middle school, sometimes it came out annoying to Jongho but he did make him happy for his brother. They’re close—real close. They always do things together— homework, chores, even little childish crimes. Together, as they’ve always been. This, however, was bound to change since they lived in a world of soulmates. And Jongho wasn’t disappointed with the change at all because he, himself, loves San’s partner in life. He adores Yeosang to the point that he already considers the gorgeous boy his brother-in-law— of course, San gets all flustered whenever he hears the younger call Yeosang by that embarrassingly adorable nickname. 

  
Jongho walks behind the two love birds. Yeosang laughs at San’s antics. He watches them and occasionally laughs too because of how incredibly funny—and clumsy— his older brother is. He enjoys being with them so much that the fact that he’s a year below makes him sad. Not that he finds his batch mates boring, he just feels more comfortable with the two. Or maybe, his batchmates are genuinely boring— probably a yes to both reasons. He spends his school days with his best buddies, Bomin and Hyunjin— two of the people whom he finds less boring than others. The two are soulmates— yeah, he’s surrounded by established pairs. Single life is not a thing here. But they accepted Jongho as part of their closed circle and he’s more than grateful for that alone.

“Hey, do you want to eat lunch out in the field?” Hyunjin suggests as they get out of the crowded school canteen. “It’s cloudy so we don’t need to worry about getting burned.”

“By the bleachers?” Bomin answers with his mouth full from taking a large bite of his ham sandwich. Jongho, on the other hand, groans as a response. He’s too lazy to go out.

Hyunjin hears the sound of a complaint from the brown-haired and gives a smirk. “I heard the second years are playing soccer.” 

Jongho chokes on his strawberry milk. He hears the two laughing at him and it made him want to punch them so hard. Great, now he wants to go outside. 

  
They sit quietly, watching the upper-year students play. Bomin and Hyunjin were busy exchanging bites from each other’s sandwiches while Jongho takes his time staring at the laughing face of Jung Wooyoung— his ultimate crush. 

Talented, bright, friendly, witty and handsome—undeniably.   
That’s how he describes him, with his heart and soul. As Bomin says, he’s whipped for the older boy. Yeah, it’s another reason why he wished he was in the same year as San. Jongho completely hates how he instantly fell for Wooyoung. He literally fell the moment he saw him smiling during the club introductions— the older was the vice president of the dance club so he was on the stage at that time. He swears he wants to talk to Wooyoung, he would love to. The problem is, he doesn’t do well with first meetings. Every time Hyunjin tries to introduce him, he ends up being too nervous and he’ll just run away. He’s basically a coward, he acknowledges it. He could easily go into a haunted house or come across a bug without screaming. But when it came to Wooyoung, he screams internally. Both of his friends have hinted about the possibility of Wooyoung being his soulmate, considering how strangely attracted Jongho is to him. Yet, to the young boy, it’s one big question mark. There hasn’t been any sign of them being soulmates other than the deep attraction. He thinks it’s just his normal teenage self developing a hard crush. 

The only interaction he’s had so far was that particular _almost-successful_ introduction Hyunjin attempted. Hyunjin is a member of the dance club and he’s quite friends with Wooyoung so he took it upon himself to become the little bridge. Why is it just _almost-successful_? Well, Jongho conveniently tripped on air when they were heading to Wooyoung’s direction. It was the closest they’ve ever gotten to the second year and it resulted in Wooyoung witnessing Jongho’s bloody nose instead of knowing and remembering his actual name. Well, at least he’s remembered by his crush in some way.

“Hyunjin!” 

Jongho gets surprised by the high-pitched voice shouting his friend’s name. He freezes as he sees his ultimate crush running towards them. He’s covered in sand and dust but still looked godly as fuck.

Hyunjin teasingly glances at Jongho before waving to the older. “Wooyoung, my older bro!”

“I just came here to inform you about the earlier practice time later. It’ll start at 4, it’s okay if you arrive a little late.” Wooyoung takes deep breaths before continuing. “You get dismissed at 3:45, yeah?” He’s visibly trying to catch his breath from all the playing and running around.

“I’ll just run, it’ll serve as my warm-up.” Hyunjin happily responds. “You look like you need a drink.” He emphasises his words, intending to get Jongho to hand the older boy his water jug. The brown-haired catches up to the horrific idea.

“It’s fine, I’ll just go for a drink from the water fou—“

“Here!” Jongho exclaims, holding out his water jug— upside down. Bomin covers his mouth with his hand to stifle his laughter. 

“Thanks!” Wooyoung’s fingers brush against Jongho’s as he takes it and the younger boy shies away. He takes quite a gulp.

“Sorry, I could refill it if you want.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll do it myself later.”

“I’ll do it now.”

“Do it together, the two of you.” Hyunjin comments to which Bomin repeatedly nods at.

As Jongho was about to open his mouth to reject the idea, Wooyoung loudly says okay and tugs on Jongho’s hoodie sleeves. The younger mouths a small ‘fuck you’ to the two soulmates who are now being left behind on the bleachers. Their walk to the water fountain is quiet and awkward for Jongho. He’s literally screaming inside and is on the verge of exploding. His heartbeats are fast, his face undoubtedly pink. Wooyoung didn’t seem to mind his silence though, looking so relaxed.

He wants to say a word. He wants to introduce himself properly. It’s been so long ever since the last attempt— he thinks he should already get the courage to not rely on Hyunjin to say his name. _But for fuck’s sake, his mind is going insane. Why was Wooyoung so casually okay with this?_

The older boy finishes filling up his bottle before Jongho could even speak a single letter. He would, surely, smack himself later for this.

“I’ll head to the other side now.” Wooyoung points at the direction of where his friends are as he hands over the jug.

Jongho quietly nods, his mouth sealed due to his nervousness. He has to say something now. He has to. This is a chance, might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance. He just has to tell him he’s Choi Jongho, that’s it. 

“This is kind of embarrassing but you probably just remember me as Hyunjin’s friend who tripped and got a bloody nose. I want to introduce myself properly. It’s awkward that I know your name but you don’t know mine.”

“No, not at all.” Wooyoung smiles in a way he has never seen before— sweetly, lovingly. “I’ve always known you by your name, Jongho.”

He goes ahead, leaving a stunned Jongho— losing his grip on his water container causing it to fall. 

  
“My Booyoung!” Jongho abruptly opens the door to San’s bedroom.

“ _Who_ -young?” San lifts his head up from his mathematics workbook. He’s on the floor despite having a work desk.

“I’m absolutely sure that’s Wooyoung.” Yeosang lays down his pen to face the younger who rushed in to sit in between him and San. “What’s up?”

“Wait. Did you just call him my boo-young? You’re cheesy.” 

“San, let the baby speak.”

“He knows my name. He fucking knows my name.” Jongho excitedly says but he couldn’t stop from covering his face due to feeling too giddy.

“Oh my god.” San drops his jaw. “He’s a stalker.”

“For the love of all men—“ Yeosang slightly hits San on the shoulder. “Though, it’s weird that he knows. Maybe your friend whose name I don’t remember, told him?”

“Hyunjin has repeatedly told me he hasn’t.” 

“Maybe he’s lying.” San rolls over. 

“For all the things he is, Hyunjin isn’t a liar.”

Yeosang notices the gradual gloom that showed in Jongho’s expression. “You know, you should just ask about his soulmate mark. Get it over with.”

“We’re barely friends though.” The younger boy pouted.

“Ask how he knows you.” Yeosang adds after a moment. 

“Yeah because it’s weird that he knows you.” San has managed to cover his face with his math workbook that somehow muffled his voice. His boyfriend removes it fast. “Maybe he knows me so he eventually came to know you.”

“So that means you could help your brother out?”

“I’m not friends with anyone from class 2, it’s sad. But I do know Wooyoung is a nice guy so there’s that.”

“It’s okay, I’ll just ask Hyunjin to help me. He’s the closest way to the love of my life.”

“Seriously, since when did you become that cheesy my little bro?”

  
Jongho did not ask Hyunjin, at all. He spent the whole day thinking about the what ifs— _What if Wooyoung simply knows people’s names even without asking them directly. He might be one of those who fall under that type. But still, why did he know his? He’s a nobody, there are a lot more first-years to know about, a lot more students in general. What has he done to have his name remembered by the Jung Wooyoung?_

All he does is homework. He doesn’t even have a club. Jongho barely talks to most of his classmates. He’s not as happy-go-lucky as his older brother. He doesn’t remember doing anything remarkable. What’s even stranger is that Wooyoung said ‘I’ve always known you’. _Like, since when?_

  
Jongho quietly walks towards the train station, earphones in. His friends went on a Friday date. San will be staying at Yeosang’s place this time. It’s become their tradition to consecutively stay at each other’s houses. All Jongho wanted was to be together with someone too but he didn’t have anyone else to hang out with. His unsociable ass isn’t able to make a lot of friends even with more than half the school year completed. Jongho made his way to the train and got out safely two stations after. There were a lot of people on the train earlier and it didn’t make him feel any better.

He heads down to the fast-food store near the station. He’s going to be alone in the house so might as well have some food with him as he spends hours watching movies again. Jongho stops midway from the counter, staring at the menu and removing his earphones. He decided to try something new today to spark up some excitement.

“Hi.” 

Jongho turns to see the one and only Jung Wooyoung standing beside him. He’s beaming and it made his knees weak as to why he wobbles slightly when he moved.

Good lord. Why is he here? Why the fuck? Why world, why? Of all people to bump into? He’s alone with the person he likes the most— He has been wishing to hold Wooyoung’s hand, to hug him tightly, to go stargazing with him, to go on a museum date with him. Jongho imagined doing all the adorable couple stuff San and Yeosang have been doing with Wooyoung. He doesn’t even know if the boy is his soulmate but it doesn’t matter because his feelings, they’re genuine.

“Hello.” He looks at the ground, avoiding further eye contact.

“You should try their new spicy menu. Everything there tastes great.” 

Jongho furrows his brows, confused at how Wooyoung sounded like he knew his plan of trying a new meal.

“I will, thanks.”

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“No.” Jongho answers without hesitation. Wooyoungs nods with a small smile. 

“Well, since you’re taking time choosing, I’ll order for you. My treat.” The older boy goes to the counter before Jongho could stop him. 

  
They’re sitting face to face on a table for two. Jongho stared outside, trying to calm himself. How did he even end up here? He was supposed to go home after ordering food but there he was, sitting across his crush. Wooyoung got him a meal of spicy fried chicken with a cheese dip. It’s the exact thing he’s been thinking on getting earlier, it’s amazing how the older boy got it right. But then again, he bought the same set for himself so it might be just his favourite after all.

Jongho brings the straw to his lips to take a small sip of his cola. His hands are shaking profusely. He pauses when he caught a glimpse of his soulmate mark, reminding him that he’s supposed to find out who his partner in life is. He’s supposed to find out if Wooyoung is his partner in life.

  
“You’re not eating.” 

Jongho got startled. “Ah, sorry. I was in deep thought.” He rubs his hands together to warm them up, he then took the utensils to begin eating.

“I know you think this is weird. You and I, having a meal but we barely know each other.”

“To be frank, yeah.” Jongho sheepishly laughs. “But it’s okay. My brother says you're nice. I figured you know him that’s why you know me too?”

“You have a brother?”

“Yeah, Choi San? He’s in the same year as you.”

“…I don’t know him.”

Jongho widens his eyes and freezes for a few seconds. “Then how did you know my name?”

Wooyoung chokes on his food and coughs immensely afterward. The younger boy panics but he was able to hand over a drink— he didn’t think if it was his or Wooyoung’s. His crush is literally on the verge of dying in front of him. _How tragic would it be to witness his crush’s end?_ The older boy drinks quickly as he pounded on his chest. He was in tears and was red as a tomato.

“Are you okay? I’m so sorry.” Jongho instinctively grabs his handkerchief to wipe the tears flooding the other’s eyes.

Wooyoung nods constantly in an attempt to assure the younger that he’s totally fine. Obviously, he wasn’t at the moment. “Yeah, just me and my stupid self.”

Jongho subconsciously snorts at the situation. “Sorry, I—“ He fails to stop himself from laughing.

Wooyoung laughs with him eventually while still coughing.

“Could you hold out your hand?” He says to Jongho’s surprise. “Your left hand.”

The younger boy did as he was told. When he did, Wooyoung held his own and locked their pinkies together. 

“I heard someone shout Jongho back during the first week of school. I couldn’t help but look back so I saw you. My heart couldn’t stop beating so fast that moment. I wasn’t entirely sure if it’s really you so I had to find out what your surname was. It’s a bit hard trying to search for it since you’re a year below me and it would be weird if others would know what I was doing. I tried being subtle as much as possible but I also failed on finding out. But then one day, someone, might have been your brother, screamed your full name as if he was scolding you for something. I got extremely happy when I heard it.”

Jongho gazes at Wooyoung, not saying a word.

“It’s honestly impossible to get this wrong.” The older boy lets go and shows his pinky to Jongho.

There it was, his full name written like how he writes it on paper. Jongho couldn’t apprehend it fully— His name. It’s there on his crush’s, Wooyoung’s, pinky finger. His name. It’s the thing he has been struggling to tell Wooyoung for the past months. It’s almost unbelievable. He thought it would be something he has said over and over again but no, it’s the very thing that he kept failing to say.

“That’s my life motto.”

“Let’s be happy?”

“Yeah. It’s awesome how it’s a mark on you, the person who completes my life.”

Jongho felt his cheeks burn and this time, he didn’t have to worry about it. He chuckles at the cheesy remark. Upon seeing him, Wooyoung’s lips curved into the most genuine smile he could ever make. He locks their pinkies together again with an intention to make a promise.

“Let’s be happy together, Choi Jongho.”


End file.
